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15 September 2016

REVIEW: Nerf Hyperfire

Getting hyper.

It’s been a good long
while since we last reviewed a Nerf blaster, and boy have we missed
‘em. It seems that in the time since our last review of the brand’s
products, Nerf has upped its game considerably, producing their
latest high-velocity blaster with which we recently got to grips. We
test the Nerf Hyperfire.

This battery-powered
flywheel blaster has an unusual design, not just because the chunky
stock (into which the batteries are placed) but also thanks to the
huge 25 dart drum magazine up near the front of the blaster. With the
four D batteries in there, the Hyperfire is not a light thing,
although it is well balanced around the enclosed grip.

In the hand if feels
very comfortable and sturdy, and as there are no removable parts to
come loose and squeak, it feels exceptionally robust and solid. There
is one short tactical rail on the top side, near the front, but
that’s your lot for adding accessories. The short barrel also lacks
those twist-lock grooves that the Retaliator and Rapidstrike had, so
no chance of extending that either. The inside of the barrel is,
however, rifled to keep those shot darts flying straight and true.

But you probably won’t
want to, as the Hyperfire feels great when pulled in tight to your
chest; very much a compact blaster that you can move easily around
with and quickly draw and shoot. Speaking of which, by Christ it can
shoot. Check out this video we shot:

Yes, it really is that
fast and completely deserves the name Hyperfire. If anything, it
shoots too fast, and it can be slightly tricky to fire off just a
single dart at a time, so as to save ammo. We found it worked best
when firing in three dart bursts – at least that way you won’t
run out of ammo after four seconds!

Nerf say the Hyperfire
can shoot those darts up to 90 feet, and in all of our testing we
never quite managed to reach that. Granted, we had to test that kind
of range outdoors, where wind can affect everything, but we’d say
that anything over fifty feet is a bit of a gamble. After that
distance, the darts tend to veer off wildly.

Unlike our previous
favourite flywheel Nerf Blaster, the Rapidstrike, the Hyperfire uses
a new method of launching those darts into the flywheel chamber.
Whereas the Rapidstrike used a quick moving rod to poke the darts
forward to be snatched up by the flywheels, the Hyperfire employs a
small rubber conveyor belt. You can see the belt when you unclip the
jam-door on top, and the whole set-up seems to work alarmingly well.

We have to say, we love
the Nerf Hyperfire. If you’re going to use a battery-powered
blaster, you might as well get the one that can shoot the most darts
in the fastest time. That incredible rate of fire is matched only by
the compact, militaristic styling of the design, and – if you have
enough spare darts – this could be your blaster of choice.

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The Test Pit is a place where all manner of things get tested... often to destruction. Gadgets, technology, toys, and clothing - all are fair game in the Pit. Our reviews are honest, jargon-free, and funny. Well, we try...